Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Secrets and Lies

Caleb rushed inside the house while the people blocking the way allowed him, given he was, after all, son of the Head Alpha. Upon entering the room, he received heavy loaded stares from few of his teammates, while at the same time he received a glare from his father and a concerned look from his brother.

“Where were you”? Mr. Wrisberg asked him sternly.

“What”? Caleb mumbled, confused by the whole situation. He felt his brother trying to link him, so he let him. [They found out about Ashton. They know that you know] his brother informed him.

[But, how?] He asked, but before his brother could respond his father barked at him,

“How can you be so damn irresponsible”! If his Dad were a cartoon , Caleb was sure smoke would be coming out of his Dad’s ears.

Caleb remained quiet, until and unless he had further evidence on the whole situation. “What is this”? He held out a picture where Ashton was in mid-transformation. That picture was taken a few days ago, and whoever took it sent them to his Dad.

Caleb wanted to take advantage of the modern technology and blame the picture as a photoshop but his father somehow realized that he might use that exact same excuse, cause he murmured, “Don’t you dare blame it on photoshop. Cause this is not the only picture I have”.

.....

His father showed him three more photographs, one where both Ashton and Caleb were human. One where Caleb was face to face with Ashton’s wolf form, and another one where both of them were in wolf form ready to attack each other. “You knew about this, that this boy is not just any wolf but a pureblooded Alpha, and you never thought you should tell me”.

Caleb wanted to scream back ‘Why? So you could kill him? Throw him out’? But he held back. He didn’t want to make the situation worse. Not just for himself, but also mainly for Ashton. “I... I found out recently”. He whispered.

“I can see you smile in the picture, so it doesn’t seem like it”. His father scoffed.

“I...” Caleb trailed off, trying his best to come up with something else as well.

“Enough. Just shut up! You must be a master of lying, but I am your father Caleb. I can tell that you’re lying, and I can also tell that you have been lying to me for a really long time”. His father barked at him. “How long did you know about this? How long did you plan on keeping this secret”? Caleb stood speechless to his father’s questions. “I am very disappointed in you. As a father and as a pack leader”. Turning to the wolf, who was also the current beta of the pack Mr. Wrisberg asked, “Is Ashton here”?

“Yes, I saw him with his mother outside. He arrived with Caleb”. The wolf replied.

“That seems convenient. Rexford, would you please bring him here”? Mr. Wrisberg ordered to which he left complied. Mr. Wrisberg turned around to Caleb and ordered, “I will deal with this situation, meanwhile you are to remain quiet”. Caleb lowered his head, powerless to say anything else. Clenching his fists he did the one thing he could think of, link Ashton.

[I am really sorry Ashton, I tried... but they found out about you, and I don’t think that... I can cover up for you anymore] Even in his head Caleb’s voice quivered at the end. [I am really sorry]

[It’s alright, this is not the first time something like that has happened to me] Ashton tried to convince him, despite freaking out himself. [As long as he doesn’t try to kill me or hurt my family, I am good. So... don’t worry about it.]

A moment later Ashton walked inside the hall while everyone stared at him skeptically. Caleb believed that they found it hard to believe that he was dangerous given his relatively innocent appearance. But the power of hearsay was a strong one, and thus the fact that he was just a pureblooded Alpha was enough to scare the naive pack members.

He stood in front of Mr. Wrisberg, for the very first time. His intimidating aura was all over the place affecting everyone but Ashton. Being a higher blood rank, Ashton was naturally immune to his Alpha powers, so he simply stared at the not so old looking man. “Give me one good reason for your lies” He ordered.

“Technically I didn’t lie. You’re the one that assumed I was a human, I just didn’t bother to correct that tiny fact about me”. Ashton shrugged, earning a sharp glare from Mr, Wrisberg.

“So you hid your identity just because no one ever questioned it? Doesn’t seem like someone who had no ulterior motives” Mr Wrisberg breathed out in a cold manner.

“Oh, I had ulterior motives. I just wanted to avoid getting caught up in anything that has to do with the pack. I meant no harm.” He admitted honestly. His honesty however, once more, came off as rude. Caleb was 100% sure that this was going to go downhill, and there was no way he could persuade his father to give him a chance. After all, his father could be really stubborn.

“Lies,” Mr Wrisberg scoffed. “You honestly want me to believe what you said”? He smirked.

“No, but I won’t say what you want to believe just for the sake of it. I am telling the truth, believe it or not”. Ashton shrugged flatly.

“Is that so” Mr. Wrisberg remarked in a bone chilling voice. “If you say you have been hiding your identity for such a measly reason instead of planning a secret attack or something, I have no reason to not believe you, now do I”? He asked sarcastically while Ashton simply stared at him.

“Why would I attack your pack? I want nothing to do with it”. Ashton huffed in disbelief.

“Maybe, like my son you have mastered the art of lying too, so until you’re ready to talk, you will be locked in the basement”.

“What”?

“What”?

Both Ashton and Caleb mumbled at the same time.

“Take him” he gestured towards Rexford, who hesitated before taking any step. Literally everyone in the room thought that Mr. Wrisberg was being way too much. Ashton tightened his fist, ready to transform and wreak havoc before he runs away when he heard,

“NO”! It was none other than Alpha’s own son Caleb. “He is not going anywhere, back off” He snarled at Rexford who froze reluctantly.

“I told you to stay out of it”! His father spat those words out.

“How can I”? He snorted, “You are trying to hurt my mate and I won’t back off”! His statement earned shock from each and everyone present in the room, including his brother and Ashton, who knew this fact beforehand.

“What did you say”? Mr Wrisberg whispered.

“That is correct! He is my mate, and I won’t back off” Caleb approached Ashton and intertwined his fingers with him before making a fist. His father simply stared with a baffled face at his son’s audacity.

“So this is why you were trying to protect him”? Mr. Wrisberg scoffed. “Look at you getting paired with a pureblooded Alpha” His father snorted derisively.

“I wasn’t paired with him. I chose him as my mate”. Caleb declared

Pleased with that revelation he ordered, “Then un-chose him for all I care”!

“I can’t. I am marked” He declared with all the courage he could muster.

“What? Are you out of your mind? Of all the prospective mates why did you have to chose this lying piece of sh*t? Are you honestly so blind that you can’t tell that you are being manipulated”? His father pursed his lips. “Or are you trying to get a raise out of me? Still not over your rebellious phase. Trying to mate with someone you are well aware of that I clearly won’t approve” ! His father snarled at him.

“Approve”? Caleb scoffed. “You honestly think I would choose a mate depending on how you would react? I am not that petty! I chose him because I liked him. I would still choose him because I love him”!

His father stared at his son, completely appalled by his words. The whole room was probably shocked by this confession while his brother tried to suppress a proud smirk. Without waiting for any reply, he dragged Ashton out of that room.

“Where do you think you are going”? His father asked sternly.

“Away from here where you don’t make my life more difficult than it has to be”. He snapped and increased his pace. Ashton wasn’t sure of the whole situation either, so he simply let Caleb drag him. He was expecting Caleb’s father to order something like, “Go get em” but he was surprised that he didn’t.

Dragging him out of the building and to their garage Caleb ordered Ashton, “Get in”! He said pointing at the shotgun seat of his porsche. Ashton complied with him and did so without much ado. He was too absorbed in the moment to realise that he had a smile on his face. Caleb turned off his GPS and threw out something out the window before driving off.